Pat reaching her Summitt proves womens worth in sports

Posted February 6, 2009

You always hear men say that women have no business playing sports. Obviously, this is a ridiculous sentiment that I don’t believe most men truly share, particularly when it comes to their daughters. Sure, they don’t care to watch random women on television play collegiate soccer, but when it comes to their eight-year-old daughter on that grassy field having the time of her life, they couldn’t be prouder.

I never played sports growing up. That always surprises people. I did however grow up watching my fair share of sports, which is how I fell in love with this arena I’ve now spent my entire professional life involved with. As much as I loved sports, I was never pushed to play. Partly, I believe, because I’m a girl and it’s not thought to be as important of a pursuit for women. Also, to be fair, largely because my family isn’t the most athletically inclined of folks (I love you guys, but it’s the truth).

I’ve grown to regret this about my life. I think if I had played sports from a young age I would have had an easier time growing up. Not that I had a bad childhood, don’t get me wrong, but I think sports could have brought me a sense of confidence and camaraderie that I didn’t otherwise get. Girls, in particular, grow up battling self esteem issues and have a difficult time with catty girlfriends. I strongly believe partaking in sports helps counter those issues by handing a young girl instant friends in the form of teammates and confidence in the form of athletic accomplishment.

Yesterday, Tennessee Volunteers head women’s hoops coach Pat Summitt won her 1,000th game. That’s a feat no coach in Division-I basketball has accomplished - men or women; and she did it in front of a sellout crowd. I can’t tell you how many times over the past three years of working in sports I’ve heard men say women shouldn’t hoop. “They can’t dunk.” “They can’t block.” “They can’t jump.” “They have no speed.” I have a strong feeling however; it wasn’t only women filling those stands to see Pat Summitt reach a mark in women’s sports no man has ever touched. In fact, the closest man to it is still one hundred wins away and currently retired (former Indiana and Texas Tech head coach Bobby Knight).

I can’t tell you how much joy Coach Summitt’s accomplishment gives me as a woman and as a sports fan. I’m like anyone else who spends their life loving the game; I’d rather see the monster dunks and the Lakers-Celtics-like clashes. I can even be accused of watching very little women’s hoops. But I would never ever dare say women shouldn’t play. For all of those of you that would take it that far, just look to Summitt for some guidance and that arena she sold out in Tennessee.